Pigeon Fool
In a world where robots are becoming more human and humans are becoming more robotic, what does it take to truly declare our own humanness – and will anyone believe you?
The earliest known robot was a steam-powered pigeon created in 400BC. It was said to have been successful because it fooled the birds to believe it was one of their own. Since the days of the steam-powered pigeon, our robots have become increasingly human. The birds were fooled – are we?
Pigeon Fool, created by Counterpilot, is a theatrical Turing Test meets game show, exploring humanness in the midst of the AI revolution.
Developed in collaboration with local AI experts at Soulbotix, this new interactive tabletop theatre work blends cunning algorithms and virtual beings, to put its audience to the test.
Due to shifts in venue availability, there have been changes to session times and pricing for Pigeon Fool, which are current on the website. Tickets are FREE, but registrations are essential.
Please note: no sessions will run on Monday 5 May.
Download the Urban Gallery Map here.
Credit: Kate O'Sullivan
About the Urban Gallery
This work is part of the Festival Precinct, where we invite you to wander and wonder through our Urban Gallery every day of Horizon 2025.
Situated in Ocean St, Maroochydore (Kabi Kabi Country), you’ll find a diverse collection of works nestled into streets, laneways and Big Top Shopping Centre — blurring the lines between physical, artistic and digital realms.
Suitable for all ages, this free-to-enjoy 10-day art-trail will feature inspiring work from visionary Queensland and Australian contemporary artists, including First Nations artists.
Creative Team
- Written & Directed by Nathan Sibthorpe
- Technical Design by Christine Felmingham & John Felmingham
- Sound Design & Original Score by Mike Willmett
- Lighting Design by Christine Felmingham
- Production & Costume Design by Chloe Greaves
- AI & Virtual Being Design by Jari Kemppinen & Jayden Hardie, for Soulbotix
- Console Design & Construction by John Felmingham
- AV Programming by Jeremy Gordon
- Additional Software Design by Sam Black
- Dramaturgy by Sarah Winter
- Production Intern Shaun Casey
- Voice Performances by Lucas Stibbard
- AI Performance lovingly based on Lucas Stibbard
- Hero Photography by Kate O’Sullivan
- Hero featuring Toby Martin
- Creative Producer Elizabeth Hunt
Counterpilot is an award-winning collective of interdisciplinary artists based in Brisbane, creating interactive performance works that activate audiences through new technology, immersive design, and transmedia storytelling. The collective transform the familiar, layering rich fictional worlds onto everyday life.
By subverting real social circumstances, they co-opt participants as authentic performers, harnessing the live audience as the most exciting element of theatre. Their works provoke change through mischief, trouble, and playful disruption.
Led by Nathan Sibthorpe, with Christine Felmingham, Mike Willmett, and Sarah Winter, Counterpilot has collaborated with Brisbane Festival, QPAC, Metro Arts, and more, winning multiple awards for innovative, boundary-pushing work.
Acknowledgements
Pigeon Fool is presented by Horizon 2025 as part of the Festival Precinct Urban Gallery supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Big Top Shopping Centre.
Pigeon Fool was developed through Counterpilot’s Company Residency with Metro Arts with support of the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Pigeon Fool was proudly supported by Queensland Museum and World Science Festival Brisbane; Soulbotix; Experience Gold Coast’s INCUBATE Residency Program; Metro Arts; and Brisbane Powerhouse.
This interactive performance occurs in a dark room - a vacant shopfront – inside the Big Top Shopping Centre. There are some lighting effects, including strobe lighting. Refreshments are available nearby.
Pigeon Fool relies on sound design and dialogue channelled through over-ear headphones each participant wears. Please take this into consideration when booking tickets if you are hard of hearing or use hearing aids/other auditory assistance devices.
This experience is suitable for anyone from 10 years old - Families, gamers and theatre people alike will very much enjoy it - it is fun, entertaining, challenging, insightful and clever.
Wheelchair Accessibility
This venue is accessible to people who use wheelchairs.
Accessible bathrooms are available on site.
Accessible car parks are available at Big Top Shopping Centre.
Level Access
This performance will take place in a vacant shopfront, where there is level access.
Low Lighting
This performance involves low lighting levels.
Bathroom Access
This performance takes place in Big Top Shopping Centre, where public facilities are available.
Companion Cards
Horizon is proud to support the Companion Card program. Companion Card holders are eligible for a second ticket at no cost for their companion.
To access a complimentary companion ticket, please contact our team via [email protected].
Any other access requirements
We welcome all audiences to Horizon and strive to make every event and performance as accessible as possible.
We are always open to discussing your individual requirements to assist wherever possible. If you’d like to speak to someone about your access requirements, please contact us during business hours at (07) 5475 7272 or [email protected].
Ages 10+
Strobe lighting effects.
Counterpilot wishes to advise that this performance uses artificial intelligence systems that involve third party cloud-based processes. During interactive components of the performance, your voice or answers may be captured and processed via various means for the purposes of the performance. Counterpilot ensures that any data captured for the performance is used only for the purposes of staging Pigeon Fool and is not retained, stored, shared or used by any third parties, or by Counterpilot outside the scope of the performance.
By purchasing a ticket for Pigeon Fool at Horizon you acknowledge your participation is subject
to these AI systems.
Open directions in Google Maps.
If you are travelling by car to the Festival Precinct, you'll find free, three-hour parking available at the Big Top Shopping Centre carpark located on Ocean Street.
The Festival Precinct is within easy walking distance of the Maroochydore Station Bus Interchange. Plan your journey to festival from the Translink Website.
If you are travelling by bike, ride your bike to the Duporth Ave bike parking hub. You can lock your bike in the Council facility that has 24hr security cameras active.